The Big Band is a mixed instrumental group open to beginning, intermediate, and advanced musicians. Students learn a variety of classic and contemporary swing, Latin, jazz, and pop standards. The group performs in concert twice a semester and occasionally off campus as well.

In addition to learning basic paper chemistry in this course, students collect usable sections of variety of plants wherever they live throughout the summer and in the Pioneer Valley in the fall when they take the course. These plants are examined and recorded before and after drying, then cooked and processed to become paper pulp. Students conceive and construct their art projects inspired by historical/biological/ecological/personal aspects of plants as well as their physical qualities.

Concentration on individual artistic development. Emphasis will be placed on experimentation, thematic development, and critical review. Students may elect to take this course more than once.

The Vocal Jazz Ensemble is a select group of singers which performs classic and contemporary jazz vocal music. The group performs in concert twice a semester and occasionally off campus as well. Solo opportunities also exist with the Big Band and Chamber Jazz Ensembles for students enrolled in Vocal Jazz.